A conventional connector pipe segment for pipes, ducts or conduits for gaseous as well as fluid flow media usually has a pressure-tight outer shell, at least two connector pieces, a pair and face sealing surfaces and a wear-resistant sleeve, advantageously of a sintered ceramic material.
The wear-resistant sleeve is inserted in the outer shell.
By "connector pipe segment" in regard to this invention we mean a short piece of pipe which is used in a pipe or duct at a place where stresses and strains because of abrasion or erosion occur.
Particularly this place is located where there is an increased flow speed downstream of a constricted or restricted location as occurs for example where there is a diaphragm or flow-constricting aperture or regulating valves or fittings.
The connector pipe segment can be a piece of pipe with a constant diameter or a reducing piece. Also different shaped pieces, particularly bent pipe segments and distributor segments, which likewise are liable to experience high wear are included.
In the known connector pipe segment, the outer shell is rigidly connected with the wear-resistant sleeve. The faces of the wear-resistant sleeve and the outer shell are flush with each other. The end faces of the wear-resistant sleeve are simultaneously sealing surfaces. This arrangement is not free of disadvantages. The bending moments or flexure moments and the torques originating in the adjacent conductor pipe are transferred to the adjacent wear-resistant sleeve. That is also true for pressure impact or hammer, especially steam impact or hammer.
The thermal expansion coefficients of the outer shell which is usually composed of a metallic material and the sintered ceramic wear-resistant sleeve are generally different.
With incorrect mounting and for certain instantaneous operating conditions and operating disturbances, the pulling and pressing forces generated can cause the wear-resistant sleeve to break and fall out of the pipe.
As a result the reliability of the known wear-resistant connector pipe segment is in need of improvement.